Formal Wear
by Elizabeth5
Summary: The group organizes an anniverary dinner for Rose. Haircuts, tuxedos, and romance abounds. SawyerKate, ClaireCharlie, MichaelSun.


**Formal Wear**

_Author: Elizabeth5_

_Summary: For Rose's anniversary, the group decides to hold a formal dinner. Haircuts, tuxedos, and romance abounds. Sawyer/Kate, Charlie/Claire, and Michael/Sun._

_disclaimer: I don't own the show or the characters...sadly._

_author's note: This takes place somewhere after the Kiss (you know which one) but before Claire gets kidnapped. Also, there are a few names I was too lazy to look up (Rose's husband, Charlie's last name) so deal with it. And thanks for reading!_

Jack stood at the head of the group, rubbing the back of his neck thoughtfully at the suggestion that had just been made. "Well, I suppose posting a guard at night wouldn't be such a bad idea. But we'll need someone to organize it."

He glanced over at the younger man to his side who reminded him just a little too much of himself. "Boone?"

Boone looked up in surprise. It was no secret that things had been a little strained between them since the drowning incident; it wasn't that Jack didn't like Boone anymore, but rather that he sensed a direct attempt at reconciliation might offend the younger man's pride. He'd been biding his time, trying to make things right. And he sensed that with Boone, a show of trust would be the only way.

By the look in Boone's eyes– a mixture of pride and dignified responsibility– Jack's presumption had hit right on the mark. Boone met his gaze for a moment, then smiled. "Yeah," he said, "I think I can do that."

It wasn't much, but it was a start. Pleased with the success, Jack turned to the rest of the group. "All right? Anything else to be presented to the group?"

A few days ago, he'd begun having group meetings to give the island more of a democratic feel. Though he'd been given leadership without really wanting it, there were still those who resented him having all of the authority. This way, everyone could make the decisions and be kept involved with what was going on. Except for those few issues that he discussed among only those in his close circle; but then, what government didn't have its secrets?

To his surprise, Claire cleared her throat and stepped into the middle of the group. It was obvious that she hadn't told anyone else about her intentions to speak that evening; even Charlie looked visibly surprised, and those two were virtually inseparable.

"Hi again," she said, giving a self-conscious little wave, "for those of you who don't know me yet, my name is Claire. But that's not really important...anyway, I guess I've sort of appointed myself to be the activities chairman of the island. Chair-woman, really...Well, tomorrow is Rose's anniversary, or what would have been her anniversary with her husband, and I think it would be nice if we could organize some sort of dinner for her. You know, so she doesn't have to be alone."

With this said, she looked around expectantly, waiting for some sort of response. Jack cleared his throat, trying to find the right words so as not to offend her. "That's really sweet of you, Claire, but you know Rose. I think she'd probably prefer to spend the night alone..."

"Oh, come on, Doc." Jack recognized the cocky Southern drawl before he turned to see Sawyer, sauntering up to the meeting, late as usual. "I'm sure you can put away that stick-in-the-mud reputation of yours for one evening to show a mourning lady a good time."

There were so many things Jack wanted to say to him. Sometimes he hated being the nice guy. Sometimes he wished he could say whatever was on his mind and not worry about tact and concern for other peoples' feelings. He hated the way that Sawyer assumed that he could claim any sort of authority without ever lifting a hand to help. He hated how for some strange reason people seemed to listen to Sawyer.

But mostly, he hated the small smile that played on Kate's lips as soon as Sawyer came into sight.

"Well," said Jack finally, "we'll ask her. All right? But don't get your hopes up." And with that, the meeting was dismissed. Everyone branched off to their various corners of the camp, and Jack picked up a few scattered bits of excited conversation about the prospect of a dinner. Jack felt his anger mounting. Now Sawyer would get them all excited and then Jack would have to be the one to explain to them why it couldn't be done. Perfect.

"Hey." He felt a slender hand on his shoulder. Kate. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Jack said shortly, not slowing his pace.

But Kate, being Kate, merely matched him stride for stride. "Jack, what's wrong?"

He stopped, collecting himself. It wasn't really Kate's fault that Sawyer was constantly trying to undermine him. She had every right to be Sawyer's friend, if that's what she wanted. And that was probably all it was. Kate was much too smart to fall for Sawyer's act.

But then, there was that kiss with Sawyer.

He shook the thought quickly from his head. Kate had never confirmed if that had actually happened or if that was just Sawyer trying to egg him on. He would give her the benefit of the doubt."Sorry Kate," he sighed, "I just...Sawyer gets to me sometimes."

Kate smiled sympathetically. "Yeah, he's definitely not campaigning for Miss Congeniality. Too bad– he'd look great in the sash."

Jack laughed, allowing himself to relax a bit. "Great. I'm sure to have nightmares about that now."

"Sorry." Kate paused for a moment, tilting her head and really studying him for a moment. "So, what do you think about the party?"

"I dunno." Jack shrugged. "What do you think?"

Kate shrugged, echoing his gesture. "I don't know. Might be a good idea, build morale. We've been so busy trying to survive that we're forgetting to be human."

Forgetting to be human. Jack looked at her long and hard. He wondered what it would be like if he'd met Kate back in his normal life, if they'd just been two people that met by chance at the grocery store or walking down the street. Would they notice one another? Would there be a connection? Would they go to the movies and walk through Central Park and eat ice cream?

"Well," he smiled, "when you put it that way...I'll talk to Rose."

"Thanks, Jack." She rewarded him with a smile, squeezing his arm gently, before turning and heading back toward camp.

Jack watched her for a long moment, a rare smile gracing his lips. Yet as he watched, there was Sawyer, stopping Kate in her tracks with something he said. He smiled that damnable Sawyer grin at her, and Kate ran a hand through her hair, mildly flirtatious.

Jack looked away before it could go any further. The good guy always got the girl in the end, right?

But then, who was to say that he was the good guy?

He turned, determined to push it from his mind, as he made his way to Rose. She was seated in her usual position on the beach, staring out at the ocean. She'd become much more social during the day, helping with tasks around the camp and even joining in the group that had found a deck of cards and played gin every day, but by night she'd still come to take her vigil.

As he approached, Rose kept her gaze fixed out on the water. "It would have been thirty years tomorrow," she said matter-of-factly.

Jack stopped in his tracks, taken aback. "How did you know?" he inquired.

Rose turned finally and smiled lightly. "Voices carry on the beach," she informed him. "Besides, that Southern man articulates very well."

He crouched down beside her, waiting. "Well? The choice is up to you, Rose. We won't force you to have a party if it will bring up bad memories."

She was silent for a moment, pensive. "We would always celebrate it quietly, just the two of us. I always wanted a big party, but he was shy around groups. So we'd have dinner, just the two of us." Rose met Jack's gaze meaningfully. "Doctor, I still believe that I'm going to find my husband. We're going to celebrate many more anniversaries together, and we'll have quiet dinners, like always. But this year, I want my party."

Jack nodded at this. "All right, Rose. Whatever you want." But all he could think was that Sawyer had won again.

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Kate had scarcely left Jack when her skin began to tingle and she knew just half a second before she saw him that Sawyer was approaching. She had a sort of sixth sense about him. Part of it was a warning, a sense of danger; the other was anticipation.

"So, Freckles," he smiled, bringing out those two perfect dimples in his cheeks, "did you convince the Doc to let us have a party?"

She shrugged, purposefuly vague. "I don't tell Jack what to do. He's a big boy– he can make his own decisions."

Truth be told, she was more aware than any of the island gossips of the little triangle that was forming between her and Jack and Sawyer. At first it had seemed like no contest. Sawyer was attractive– there was no denying that. But Jack was the kind of man she'd always wanted, the prince charming she'd dreamed of since she was a little girl.

But dreams weren't real, and they weren't tangible. And if Sawyer was nothing else, he was very, very tangible. She was finding it more difficult than she'd anticipated to ignore his considerable charms. And what was even more unnerving was the fact that she was beginning to genuinely like him. He could be calculating and cruel, but there were times– every so often– that he was surprisingly kind.

So, despite her better judgment, there was a triangle forming. She knew it, Sawyer most definitely knew it, and Jack couldn't be as oblivious as he pretended to be. And even though she knew that she should make the smart choice and let things rest, there was a part of her that wouldn't let this opportunity to bait Sawyer pass.

"The Doc's a big boy, eh?" Sawyer was smiling, but there was something decidedly unpleasant in his eyes. "Sounds like you've been getting an eyeful, Freckles."

"No more so than I got from you, Sawyer," Kate reminded him. "Let's just say you're not the only one with a penchant for swimming nude."

Sawyer eyed her over quickly, causing her to blush despite herself. "I hope you aren't just referring to the doctor, darlin'," he drawled.

Kate ran a hand through her hair, refusing to meet his gaze. "Let me keep some of my secrets, Sawyer. They're part of my charm, after all."

When she finally met his gaze again, there was a knowing look in his eyes. "Guess you're right on that account, Freckles," he said, and reached out to cup her face with one hand.

Even the minute contact was enough to send Kate's pulse racing. She felt herself losing control, and fast. Panicked, she jerked away from him, more violently than she'd intended.

Sawyer looked at her as though she'd stung him. But a moment later, his old impassive mask was back on. "Right, well, best get my beauty sleep for the party tomorrow."

Kate watched him leave, cursing herself inwardly. When he was a few paces away, she abruptly called out to him, "Sawyer!"

Sawyer stopped and turned questioningly. Kate didn't quite know what to say; everything that came to mind was just a bit too sentimental. Instead, she merely smiled.

He looked at her for a moment, then smiled back and continued his retreat into the darkness.

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"All right, bring the logs over there and set the four long ones up in a row– yeah, like that!"

It was the next morning, and the camp was in a flurry of preparations for the party that evening. Claire was certainly in her element organizing the festivities. There was a healthy glow to her cheeks, and Charlie hadn't seen her look that happy in a good while. Or that beautiful.

He watched her a moment longer before approaching. "What can I do to help?"

She turned, startled at the sound of his voice, and offered him a brilliant smile. "Oh, hi, Charlie. Um...let me see...can you find something that we can use for chairs?"

"Chairs, right." Charlie turned to set about looking for something suitable. He stopped and turned back to Claire, shading his hand with one eye. "Oh, and Claire?"

"Yeah?"

He smiled. "That was nice of you. To organize this for Rose. You have a good heart."

Charlie left before she could formulate a proper response, but not before noticing the light blush that came to her cheeks and that smile that crept to her face. It gave him a strange sort of thrill to be the one that brought that smile to her face.

For her part, Claire was content to watch Charlie for a moment longer as he departed. He certainly was nothing like Thomas, the man who had until recently claimed her heart...but that was a very good thing, she decided. If nothing else, this island was all about getting new starts.

So preoccupied with this was she that she didn't even notice Shannon approaching until it was too late. Usually, she tried to employ the duck and cover method whenever the younger blonde girl was involved.

"I'm trying to be optimistic about this," Shannon complained, her hands on her hips, "really, I am. I thought, hey, it's a party– this'll be great. But we have no table cloths, no music, no decorations. And we have to wear the same old dingy clothes that we wear every day. So pretty much, we get to work all day and then eat dinner at night and listen to some old lady talk about her husband, right?"

Claire frowned at her. "Well, Shannon, we're trying to work on that. Hey, maybe you can look through everyone's things and find some decorations that we can use. I'm sure with your decorative eye, you can make it work."

Shannon glared at her dubiously for a moment and then shrugged. "Well, it's better than sitting around all day, anyway." She turned, searching the beach. "Boone, where are you? I need your help!"

Claire watched after her, shaking her head. She was trying very hard to be amused with Shannon's antics. That way, she didn't want to kill her quite so much. And there had to be some good in her if she and Boone shared the same genetics, right?

Hurley came up and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, Claire, how many more logs are we going to need?"

She looked at what had already been gathered, calculating quickly in her mind. "Um, three more should do, I think." She reached out, squeezing his arm appreciatively. "Thanks a lot, Hurley. You're the best."

He sighed melodramatically, lumbering back toward the woods. "I know, I know..."

Claire laughed at this and turned back, trying to think of what else could be done. Before the thought process had gone very far, she saw Walt approaching, looking rather dejected. Not certain of whether to be sympathetic or amused, Claire tilted her head. "Hey, Walt. What's up?"

He hesitated a moment, digging his sneaker into the sand, before finally looking up. "Is this a grown-up party tonight?"

So that was it! Claire smiled at him kindly. "You're more than welcome to come, Walt." Seeing that he was still downcast, she thought quickly and added, "And Vincent, too. In fact, dogs are encouraged."

Walt grinned at her broadly. "All right! Thanks." He looked at her expectantly.

And that was apparently where her understanding of children ended. "What else is on your mind, Walt?" she managed finally.

"Everyone is is helping," he reminded her, "so what can I do?"

"Um..." Claire glanced around, and the proverbial lightbulb went on in her head. "I have just the job for you..."

A moment later Walt was off, a stack of invitations in his hand, and Claire sat back, satisfied. She was overwhelmed with how eager everyone had been to help out. Locke, Jack, and Michael were out hunting a boar for dinner; Hurley, Charlie, Sayid, and Kate were pulling makeshift furniture from the woods; Shannon and Boone were searching for decorations; and even Sawyer had done his part by speaking up for her at the fire last night. It was turning out to be a perfect party. The only thing that would make it complete was if...

She heard someone clearing her throat behind her and turned to see Sun standing there, looking self-conscious and somewhat nervous. Claire started; it was rare to see her without that imposing husband of hers by her side. Personally, Claire had never been a big fan of domineering males; but maybe there was a side to Jin that she hadn't seen yet.

"Can I help you?" Claire inquired when Sun didn't say anything further.

Sun opened her mouth as if to speak then changed her mind and motioned for Claire to follow her instead. Claire shrugged but obediently followed behind. Sun led her beyond the wreckage of the plane and back behind a little cluster of trees. There was tarp hanging between two trunks and a blanket on the ground underneath; it was apparently a makeshift shelter for Sun and Jin.

Silently, Sun went to the back of the shelter and pulled out a suitcase, bringing it into the sunlight where Claire stood. She opened the trunk and folded it open, revealing several exquisitely beautiful dresses inside.

Claire gasped, a hand automatically reaching to her mouth. "Sun, where did you get these...?"

Sun didn't reply, but went back and retrieved another suitcase, this one full of well-tailored suits and the like. She looked up at Claire, giving a sort of half-smile.

Claire smiled, trying to think of some way to articulate the gratitude she felt. When nothing came to mind, she dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around the older woman. "Thank you!" she whispered into her ear.

Sun seemed taken aback for a moment, but then she was hugging Claire in return, and gave a little sigh of content.

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Kate returned to her bedroll, utterly exhausted. Sayid, Hurley, and she had worked all morning dragging fallen logs in from the woods to use for that night's party. Claire was certainly going all out to make sure Rose's anniversary was a special evening. The girl must have been a party planner in a former life, Kate mused.

_Or in her real one_, she reminded herself.

Sometimes it was hard to believe that there had really been a life beyond the island. It seemed hazy, imagined, like a dream. She wasn't an escaped felon here. She was just Kate, a nice girl with great hair and an affinity for orange. That was all anyone really knew about her, and that was all they needed to know. She was ready for her clean slate.

She collapsed on her bedroll, fully intending to take a long– and well deserved– nap. But as her head hit the ground, she felt a strange lump underneath. Frowning, she reached between two blankets and her fingers touched something that felt like silk. But no, that couldn't be.

Curious, she pulled the mystery object out and found that it was, indeed, a silk dress, and one of the most beautiful she'd seen. It was cut in Oriental style and was a shimmering white with blue flowers, very similar to the fabric of Audrey Hepburn's dress in _Sabrina_. Kate had never owned anything so nice before.

A slip of paper fell to the ground from within the folds of the dress. She picked it up, reading over it quickly. _Anniversary party_, it read, _7:00 p.m. sharp. Formal wear required. Good grooming strongly recommended._

No sooner had her mind processed the words than she heard shouts coming from further down the beach.

"There is no way on Earth you're coming near me with those things...!"

Reluctantly, Kate abandoned the dress and went to see what was the cause of the commotion, though she had a haunting suspicion. Sure enough, there was Sawyer, a look of pure panic in his eyes as he squared off with Claire, who was brandishing scissors.

"What's going on here?" Kate asked, trying very hard not to be amused.

Sawyer looked relieved at the sight of her. "Freckles, thank goodness. Goldilocks here is trying to castrate me."

"I am not!" Claire looked exasperated. "I'm just trying to give him a haircut." She snapped the scissors a few times in the air. "It will look nice on you, for the party."

"I ain't goin' to no party if I have to be sheared!" Sawyer protested.

Claire let out an indignant cry. "But you were the one who was saying we should have a party in the first place!"

"I changed my mind!" Sawyer snapped. "Man's prerogative!"

"That's actually a woman's prerogative," Kate reminded him.

Sawyer darted behind her, using her as a buffer between him and Claire. "Come on, Freckles, help me out. Get Delilah here away from me."

Kate was torn. On the one hand, she kind of liked the caveman look Sawyer was sporting. It suited him. But on the other hand, the thought of a clean-shaven Sawyer wasn't entirely unpleasant either.

"How about a compromise?" she suggested. "I give you the haircut and promise not to take too much off, and you can shave yourself. Deal?"

She could feel Sawyer frowning without even looking. "But what if you mess up my hair?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Are you really that vain?"

"Yes!"

Claire looked back and forth between them anxiously.

Kate took in a deep breath, steadying herself. "If I mess up on your hair– which I won't– then you...you can cut my hair afterward."

"Too dull for my taste, sweetheart." Sawyer retorted. "What else you got?"

She cleared her throat. "Fine. I mess up on your hair, and you get to dress me."

Claire stared at her, clamping the scissors shut inadvertantly.

Sawyer was silent for a long moment. "You mean, pick out your clothes for you?"

Kate was suddenly very embarrassed. What had she gotten herself into? "I mean...dress me."

In an instant, Sawyer was seated in front of her. "All right, what are we waiting for? Goldilocks, hand her the scissors."

Claire obediently passed the scissors to Kate, shaking her head. "I hope you know what you're doing..."

Kate smiled to herself, pulling a comb from her back pocket. "I worked at a salon during high school. I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

Sawyer shrugged. "Hey, whatever. But remember, one hair a little too cropped and you become my dress-up doll, Freckles."

With a roll of he eyes, Kate reached forward and ran a hand through Sawyer's hair. She heard him sigh a bit at the contact and could see the skin on his neck coloring with embarrassment. "Doin' all right, Sawyer? You were making some interesting noises there," she teased.

"Just tryin' to distract you, Freckles," he declared, "'cuz when you slip up, we're gonna be makin' all sorts of interesting noises together."

Standing off to the side, Claire was trying her hardest not to laugh.

Annoyed at how easily he could take the upper hand, Kate began combing through his hair, all-business. "Still assuming you're going to win?" she inquired curtly.

"Still pretending you don't want me to?" Sawyer retorted.

Her response was to take off about an inch of his hair. As the tufts began to float down around him, he let out a grunt of protest. "Hey, that's too much!"

"Relax, princess," Kate teased, "you'll still be the prettiest one there."

"I better be," Sawyer said in what was supposed to be an ominous voice. He cleared his throat. "You know, you seem awfully keen on giving me this haircut, Freckles. And you were awful quick to suggest some special one on one time with me if you won this bet."

Kate didn't quite know how to reply. "So?"

She could feel Sawyer grinning. "So, it seems to me that you just can't keep your hands off me."

"Keep deluding yourself," Kate instructed, "but sit still so I don't take off your ear."

When she was done with the back, she moved to the front. Suddenly, she was confronted with a new set of problems, for not only was Sawyer near her now, but he was watching her and smiling that confounded smile.

"Wow, sweetheart," he drawled, "you look stunning today. Have I told you that?"

Ignoring him, Kate knelt down, examining what was left.

But Sawyer was not one to give up so easily. "You know," he said, "the last time we were this close, I was tied up to a tree and you were asking about some inhalers..."

Still attempting to ignore him (and the look of curiosity on Claire's face), Kate reached out and brushed some hair from his forehead. It was Sawyer's turn to fall silent as Kate's fingers played across the skin of his face, moving the hair around as she cut what was necessary.

"There," she said when she was done, "now you can see your eyes better." She was finished cutting but still her fingers lingered on his face, wishing they could remain and explore the contours of his jaw, his neck, and run through the hair that remained. When she met Sawyer's gaze, she saw in his eyes that he was willing, waiting for even the slightest signal.

"Looks great!" Claire declared, coming forward. She inspected Sawyer's hair a bit closer. "Wanna see?"

Sawyer looked back to Kate, but her hand had dropped into her lap and she was staring down at the ground. "Yeah, sure," he said, looking away.

Claire pulled out a compact and offered it to him. He took it, inspecting the shorter hair. "Well," he admitted reluctantly, "looks great. Guess you win, Freckles."

Kate remained silent, tracing a pattern in the sand with her finger.

Sawyer rose to his feet, brushing off the bits of hair that clung to his shirt. "Well, I'll take the rest from here. See you ladies at the party."

"See ya!" Claire called after him.

Kate continued drawing in the sand.

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She'd done it. She'd really done it.

Jack had to admit that, despite his doubts about the party, Claire had really managed to pull everything together. Tables had been formed from fallen logs, chairs from empty suitcases, and tablecloths from the plane's parachutes. Someone had found some floss and strung leaves along it to form a surprisingly effective line of decor around the festivities; there were makeshift bouquets of wildflowers on the tables. They'd already enjoyed a feast of wild boar and berries, and Charlie was apparently setting up on a makeshift stage in order to serenade them.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Shannon approaching Rose. She handed her a small but obviously expensive bottle of perfume. "I found this when I was looking for decorations," she explained. "Happy anniversary."

She made a hasty departure, but not before Rose's eyes had flooded with tears of gratitude, touched by this unexpected act of kindness. Shannon quickly too her seat again and turned to glower at Boone, who was smiling at her. "What?" she snapped.

"I recognize that perfume," Boone told her. "You didn't find that; it was yours. You gave it up for her."

Shannon rolled her eyes. "So what? I'm not heartless, you know. It's her anniversary."

Boone reached out, squeezing her shoulder. "I know, Shan. I know."

Watching this, Jack smiled, then turned his focus to Claire as she rose to her feet.

"Thanks to everyone who made this dinner possible," she said, smiling as she lifted her paper dixie cup, "To Rose and Hank."

"To Rose and Hank!" everyone echoed.

Rose nodded in silent gratitude.

A moment passed, and then Claire clapped her hands together. "And now we will be pleased to hear the vocal stylings of Charlie Farrows!"

With that introduction, Charlie began to play. Jack had known he was in a band, but still he was surprised at how good Charlie was. Slowly, couples leaked away from the table and began to dance. Jack felt himself searching for Kate, wondering if he'd be brave enough to ask her to dance.

But he shouldn't have bothered, he realized as his eyes found her. She was already dancing with Sawyer.

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Sawyer was a handsome guy, and he knew it. He'd dated– and bedded– all kinds of beauties: some curvy, some waifish, some elegant, some vulgar. In his relatively short life, he reckoned that he'd encountered just about every kind of woman and could categorize them: the virgins, the school marms, the wild girls, and the dangerous ones.

And then there was Freckles. He'd pegged her as prudish, wild, dangerous, and even briefly virginal (before that searing kiss they'd shared), but now he realized she was none of the above; she was just Kate. More than any woman he'd ever met, she affected him. He felt disjointed around her, completely clueless of what to do or say. They'd only shared a kiss, yet he felt a desperation inside of him to be near her, to please her, to impress her. And no matter how many times he decided he'd stay away from her, he always found himself making up excuses to talk to her, to be near her.

Sawyer had always known she was beautiful, but seeing her tonight had literally knocked the wind out of him. She was wearing an elegant dress, her hair pulled half-back in a way that really highlighted her face. She'd borrowed a little makeup from someone– probably Sticks– and though she certainly didn't need it, the extra little something completed the picture. She was a vision.

He'd sat boredly through the dinner, a little annoyed at being stuck between Hurley and Locke instead of getting to sit by Kate. He'd noticed her glancing his way a few times but had been too nervous to meet her gaze; despite all acts of bravado, he felt very self-conscious clean shaven and in a tux. It wasn't a look that he usually sported.

But when the music started, he knew he'd have to swoop in before the doctor worked up his nerve. Kate seemed almost anticipatory as he approached. Smiling his cocky smile to hide his nervousness, he extended a hand. "Care to dance, sugar?"

For one horrible moment he thought she might refuse, but then she was taking his hand and stepping into his arms, fitting there unnervingly well.

They were both silent. Sawyer was finding it difficult to initiate the usual suggestive banter that they so often engaged in. Not when she was that beautiful, and that close.

"I like your dress," he said finally.

"I like your tux," she returned automatically. "Formal wear looks...good on you. And the shaving thing is a nice change."

She reached up as though to feel his face but seemed to think better of it. He smiled, searching his mind vainly for something remotely interesting to say.

"Nice party," was the best he could come up with.

Kate looked suddenly forlorn. "Can you imagine being married for thirty years and then losing your companion after all that time? It must be so hard."

"I wouldn't know anything about that," Sawyer said, "I've never been in love."

"Really?" She looked at him in open surprise. "Not ever?"

He smiled at the disbelief on her face. "Does it really surprise you that much, Freckles?"

"I guess not." Kate shook her head. "Well, yes, actually. Despite your rudeness and your crudeness and your insensitivity--"

"Is there a compliment coming along sometime?" he interrupted."'Cuz I'dkinda like to get to that."

She merely smiled at him, "--you seem to me like someone with a great capacity for kindness. Most people who can hate so strongly can love strongly, too."

"The bad guy with a heart of gold, huh?" He snorted. "You've been watching too many movies."

She tilted her head to study him. "Have I?" She shrugged, looking unconvinced. "Well, I guess I was wrong."

"Guess so."

They danced in silence for a moment, and then she leaned forward suddenly, sending electric jolts through him as her lips hovered mere centimeters from his ear. "But who knows," she murmured, "maybe you'll surprise yourself."

He responded by tightening his hold on her waist. "Who knows?" he repeated. "I kind of like surprises."

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Sun sat off in the distance, watching as the various couples danced under the moonlight. She felt the familiar longing as she ached to be one of the group, but Jin had absolutely forbidden her to go. He was gone now, catching fish for dinner, but he would know if she ventured over for even a moment. Somehow, he always knew.

Still, she felt good about loaning their formal clothing for the evening. They certainly had no use for it now, and it was such a secondary commodity that Jin hadn't even noticed it was gone yet. Perhaps everything would be returned before he even thought to check the empty suitcases.

Someone cleared his throat nearby. Sun looked up, surprised to see Michael. He smiled, searching warily for Jin.

"He's not here," said Sun.

Michael relaxed visibly. "Why aren't you at the party?" he asked.

Sun remained silent.

"I thought as much." Michael withdrew a hand from behind his back, revealing a small but perfect wildflower. "Well, if you can't go to the party, here's the party coming to you."

Sun knew she should refuse the gift, but she found herself reaching for it, delighted. "Thank you," she whispered.

Their gazes met briefly. Michael reluctantly backed away a step. "Well, I don't want to cause any trouble. Have a good night."

"Good night, Michael." She watched as he left then looked down at her flower, smiling. Suddenly, impulsively, she turned and ran to her bedroll, digging a little hole in the sand beneath the blankets. Gently, she placed the flower inside before Jin could get back, smiling to herself.

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Charlie continued to sing, scanning the crowds. There was Sayid, dancing with Rose, and Jack with Kate– of course– and, surprisingly enough, Hurley with Shannon. Yet during this song, nor none of the songs before, had he seen Claire dancing. He picked her out now at the edge of the crowd, watching the others dancing and smiling wistfully.

When Charlie reached the end of the song, he cleared his throat. "Uh, fifteen minute break," he announced.

The crowd obediently dispersed and Charlie hopped off the "stage", heading over to Claire. He grinned at the sight of her. "Hey, there, foxy. What's a pretty girl like you doing in a dump like this?"

She smiled at him. "Hi, Charlie. Hey, thanks again for doing this– you know, playing the music and all."

"Anything for the prettiest lady here," he said, more sincerely than he'd intended.

Claire blushed. "Thanks, Charlie, but you don't have to humor the pregnant girl. Everyone else got to get all dressed up and I'm in the same old clothes 'cuz I'm too fat to fit into any of the dresses."

"Well, you don't need a fancy dress," Charlie insisted, "You're...the prettiest girl I've ever seen. Belly and all."

It could have been his imagination, but her eyes looked just a little bit moist.

"Thank you, Charlie," she whispered.

Their gazes met for a moment, and Charlie reluctantly pulled away. "Well, I best get back to playing. Are you gonna be all right?"

He saw the tiniest hint of disappointment in Claire's eyes, but she hid it well. "Yeah, sure. I'll be fine."

Charlie headed back toward the stage, but not before stopping in front of Boone. "Hey, listen, can you do me a favor?" he asked of the darker-haired man.

Boone looked at him in surprise. "Yeah, sure, what's up?"

Charlie leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "When the next song starts playing, can you ask Claire to dance?" Boone started to look over in her direction but Charlie grabbed his arm. "DON'T look, just...do it. Okay?"

"Okay," Boone agreed, looking vaguely confused.

Charlie hopped back up on the stage, smiling apologetically. "Sorry about the delay everyone. Let's get this show back on the road."

Slowly, he began to play the first few notes of 'As Time Goes By'. According to Claire, it was Rose's favorite song, and he looked to her long enough to see a look of sentimental wistfulness cross her face.

"You must remember this,

A kiss was just a kiss,

A sigh was just a sigh..."

He finally ventured a look in Claire's direction, just in time to see Boone leading her to the dance floor. Claire looked thrilled at being able to dance, and though her belly made it a bit awkward, she and Boone seemed to be having a good time.

"As time goes by..."

Claire looked up at him briefly. Seeing that he was looking back at her, she smiled and gave a little wave. Charlie smiled in return, finding it harder and harder to battle that tingling sensation he felt in his chest whenever Claire was happy.

So this was paradise.

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Jack glanced over atBoone and Claire, smiling to himself. He turned to Kate, nudging her gently. "Hey, look."

Kate obediently followed his gaze and smiled at the sight ofBoone and Claire dancing, oblivious to the watchful gazes of the other castaways. Kate followed Claire's gaze as she looked up to Charlie on stage; he was smiling at her as though there was no tomorrow.

Kate sighed wistfully."That's so sweet. They look so happy together."

Jack looked vaguely confused. "Claire and Boone?"

Realizing her mistake, Kate laughed and shook her head. "No, sorry...I meant Charlie and Claire."

"Oh, yeah," Jack agreed, "they really suit each other, don't they?"

Kate nodded in silent agreement. Jack cleared his throat, attempting to build up the courage to say what was on his mind. Seeing Kate tonight had sparked something inside of him. She was absolutely stunning. He knew it was cliche, but she took his breath away. And he knew as he watched her dancing with Sawyer, seeing the bond that was beginning to form between them, that he'd have to make his move before it was too late. For the first time in his life, he was going to be the aggressive suitor.

"Kate." He cleared his throat again. "I really need to talk to you."

Kate looked at him uncertainly. "Yeah, sure. What's up, Jack?"

He glanced around, self-consciously aware of how many people were already eavesdropping, then took her arm and guided her down toward the beach.

"Sorry," he apologized, "I didn't want anyone to overhear."

"Sure." Kate searched his face anxiously. "Jack, what's going on?"

She was shivering violently and it was proving to be a huge distraction. Jack took off his coat and offered it to her. "Here," he said, fully aware of how corny it must seem.

But Kate accepted it gratefully. "Thanks, Jack." She tilted her head, studying him. "But I'm guessing you didn't bring me out here to give me your coat."

"No, I didn't," Jack agreed. He cleared his throat for the thousandth time that night. "Kate, I--"

But her gaze had caught on something in the distance. Jack followed her gaze to where Sawyer stood with Shannon, their conversation openly flirtatious. He looked back to Kate and saw the look of shock and hurt on her face. He recognized the emotion well, because it was what he was feeling at that very moment. So the island gossips had been right. Kate may be toying with the idea of living happily ever after with the nice guy, but her heart belonged to the bad boy.

Jack didn't really know what to do with this information. Should he pretend he didn't see? Or should he gallantly step out of the way and let her make her own choices?

Kate looked back to him, shaking her head and forcing a smile. "Sorry about that, Jack. What were you saying?"

"I just– " Jack hesitated, then smiled. "I just wanted to let you know how much your friendship means to me."

Her smile was sincere this time. "Thanks, Jack. That means a lot to me."

An uncomfortable moment passed between them. "Listen, there's something I need to take care of really fast– "

Jack offered a weak smile. "Go on." He watched as she left, no longer trying to mask the hurt that he felt. "I'll be waiting."

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Kate had been feeling rather self-conscious about dressing up that evening. She was a jean and t-shirts kind of girl, and formal wear had always made her kind of uneasy. But the dress was too tempting to pass up, and once she put it on, she found herself agreeing to all kinds of things that the other girls suggested– lipstick, mascara, even a little bit of perfume.

She told herself as she was getting ready that she was dressing up for herself. When that didn't work, she even began to believe that she was still playing the game of balancing Jack and Sawyer. But the second that Sawyer walked up and asked her to dance-- a virtual transformation with his clean-shaven face and crisp black suit that fitted his frame perfectly-- she knew that she had lost control somewhere along the way. She was powerless now; he was the one in charge.

To her surprise, this admission had come as something of a relief. She had fought against it for so long that the ease at which she gave in was astonishing. It seemed silly to her now that she'd been fighting against Sawyer of all people. It felt so natural, so right. For the first time since coming to this island, she felt as though everything was finally settled.

But dancing with Jack hadn't been entirely unpleasant, either. He looked handsome in his crisp suit, his boyish features heightened by his baby smooth face. And once again, she was torn. Why was this all so difficult? What was it about Jack that she couldn't let go of? And what was it about Sawyer that wouldn't let go of her?

When Jack pulled her aside, she felt overcome with nervousness. This was the moment of truth. Despite her feelings were Sawyer, she didn't know if she would be strong enough to resist Jack if he offered himself to her. There was some part of herself that needed the nice man, the good man. And somehow, she doubted Sawyer could ever fill those qualifications.

Jack seemed unusually pensive that evening. Seeing that he would need a little persuasion to speak, Kate offered him a smile. "I'm guessing you didn't bring me out here to give me your coat."

"No, I didn't." Jack returned. He shifted from one foot to another. "Kate, I– "

Her gaze travelled inadvertantly to a point over Jack's shoulder. There was Sawyer, devastatingly handsome in his tux. And he was openly flirting with Shannon, who looked like a movie star in her red gown with her blonde hair swept upward in an enticing style.

Kate felt her mouth run dry. How could she have been so stupid? She was not so naive as to believe that Sawyer wasinexperienced with women. It was clear in his interactions that he was familiar, to put things politely, and used to getting what he wanted. She was just one in a number of conquests. And now that he so clearly had her, Sawyer was moving on to someone else.

She forced herself back to Jack. He didn't deserve to be ignored, certainly not for Sawyer's sake. "Sorry about that, Jack. What were you saying?"

But even as she spoke the words, her mind was reeling. She and Sawyer had shared a connection. It was real. It hadn't been imagined. There had to be some sort of explanation for his behavior.

"...I wanted to let you know how much your friendship means to me," Jack finished.

Kate blinked at him in surprise and somehow even managed to smile."Thanks, Jack. That means a lot to me."

And it did. But was that all there was between them? Did Jack see her just as he saw Sayid or Charlie?

"Listen," she said, a sudden determination overcoming her, "there's something I need to take care of really fast."

Without waiting for a response from Jack, she took off in the direction where she'd last seen Sawyer. He was still talking to Shannon and as she approached she could hear the last bit of conversation.

"...always liked blondes," Sawyer was saying. Shannon, for her part, did not seem to be objecting. Sawyer turned at the approach of Kate, feigning surprise. "Well, hello there, Freckles. Have a nice chat with the doc?"

"We need to talk," Kate said briskly.

Sawyer glanced over at Shannon, then back to Kate. "Well, I'm kind of in the middle of something with Sticks, here, Freckles--"

Kate met his gaze evenly. "Please."

Sawyer faltered and nodded. "Yeah, sure." He glanced half-heartedly at Shannon. "Catch you around, Sticks."

They moved away from the table, back toward the jungle. When he was sure they were out of earshot, Sawyer turned to Kate, spreading his palms. "You and the doc certainly seemed to be having a good time."

"I could say the same for you and Shannon," Kate interjected, folding her arms to keep her hands from trembling with anger. "Are you trying to run through every girl on the island, Sawyer, or am I just one of the lucky--"

But before she could finish the sentence,Sawyer had grabbed her roughly and pulled her into his arms. "Oh, yeah, you're a lucky one," he informed her huskily.

And then his lips were crushing down on her. Kate was unresponsive for a moment, determined to keep being angry at him, but in a matter of moments she found herself kissing him in return. He had taken the upper hand again. He was the one in control...

She pulled back, gasping. As he moved in to repeat the performance, she turned away from him forcefully. "Stop--stop."

The rejection had stung him, she could tell. "What the hell kind of game are you playing, Freckles?" Sawyer demanded, breathing heavily.

"Me?"she demanded. "You're the one who kissed me!"

"Only to shut you up," he retorted.

She stared at him,searching him for any sign of the real man behind the mask and coming up confused. "I don'tunderstand you!" she spat out finally. "What am I to you, Sawyer? Something to keep you from getting bored? Am I a diversion, a friend, _what_?"

The question seemed to rattle Sawyer. He ran a hand through his hair. "If you're asking do I like you– sure, I do, Freckles. You know that."

"Sawyer." Kate's first impulse had always been side and self-protection, but she knew that to break down Sawyer's walls, she would have to bring down her own. "I care about you."

Sawyer stared out into the line of trees, unwilling to meet her gaze. "And what about the doc?"

Kate shook her head. "He's not a part of this."

"He is a part of this," Sawyer challenged. "He's always there, at the back of your mind, holding you back." He took a step toward her, lowering his voice. "I know you, Kate. We're one and the same. All our lives, people have tried to label us as bad, but that ain't the truth, is it? Do you think the doc could ever understand that? I don't think there's a whole lot of gray in his black and white world."

She wanted to yell, to scream in Jack's behalf. But it was true. "That's why I'm here with you," she said.

His eyes widened a bit and then settled on her face. It was as though he was having a revelation, and a moment of pure understanding passed between them.

But Sawyer seemed to realize his mistake, and as the mask ofprotection went up again, Kate made one last ditch effort.

She blew out a breath of derisive air. "Wanna hear the truth, Sawyer? I know Jack is the one I should be with. I know that he's the right choice. But here I am, with you. And it always seems like I end up wherever you are." She gave her words a moment to sink in. "But I don't know what it even means. Sometimes, I feel like you're the only one who can really see me, and other times I have no idea if you even care at all--"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Dammit, woman, you're driving me insane. Yes, I _see_ you. Yes, I'm jealous of you and the doc. Yes, I care about you." He spread out his hands dramatically. "There, I'm opening up. I'm putting myself on the line. Is that what you wanted?"

Still, she was uncertain. "So what was that with Shannon?"

"Sticks?" He blew out a breath of air. "I was just...trying to make you jealous." He glanced at her uncertainly. "Did it work?"

It was such an unexpectedly juevenile answer that Kate could only stare at him for a moment. And then ashort giggle escapedher throat. "Yes," she admitted.

Sawyer ventured a smile in return. "Really?"

Kate nodded,self-consciously tucking back a loose strand of hair from her face."I was ready to get into a cat fight if I had to."

Sawyer's face fell. "You were? Dang, I should have held out a little bit longer..."

He took in a deep breath and then uncertainly bridged half the distance between them. Taking his lead, Kate met him halfway. They stood regarding one another, not quite knowing how to proceed.

Sawyer looked down at Kate with an uncertainty that was entirely endearing. "You know, Freckles, you're quite the woman." He hesitated,thenreached out to cup her face with one hand. This time, she didn't pull away."I might try to kiss you now," he said.

Kate smiled up at him. "I might let you."

After what seemed like an agonizingly long time apart, their lips met. They'd shared two kisses before– one when Sawyer was being tortured and the other only moments before. Both had been passionate and exciting. This one was equally passionate but carried the promise of something deeper, something much more profound.

And for now, that was enough.

**The End**

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